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1977 New York Cosmos season

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Cosmos

| season = 1977

| manager = Gordon Bradley{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/sports/soccer/01bradley.html?_r=1|title = Gordon Bradley, Who Nurtured U.S. Soccer, Dies at 74 (Published 2008)| newspaper=The New York Times |date = May 2008| last1=Bell | first1=Jack }}
(Until July 7)
Eddie Firmani{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/may/19/the-footballing-life-eddie-firmani|title = From Cape Town to NY, via Charlton: The footballing life of Eddie Firmani|website = TheGuardian.com|date = 19 May 2010}}
(After July 7)

| stadium = Giants Stadium

| league = NASL

| league result = Division: 2nd
Overall: 3rd
Playoffs: Champions

| cup1 = National
Challenge Cup

| cup1 result = Did not enter

| league topscorer = Giorgio Chinaglia (15 goals)

| season topscorer = Giorgio Chinaglia (42+ goals)

| highest attendance = 77,691
vs. Fort Lauderdale (August 14)

| lowest attendance = 7,212
vs. Victory Sportif Club (April 2)

| average attendance = 34,142{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/usadave/nasl.html|title = North American Soccer League}}

|pattern_la1 = _greenborder

|pattern_b1 = _collargreen

|pattern_ra1 = _greenborder

|leftarm1 = FFFFFF

|body1 = FFFFFF

|rightarm1 = FFFFFF

|shorts1 = FFFFFF

|socks1 = FFFFFF

|pattern_la2=_whiteborder

|pattern_b2=_collarwhite

|pattern_ra2=_whiteborder

|pattern_sh2 =

|pattern_so2 =

|leftarm2 =006600

|body2 = 006600

|rightarm2 = 006600

|shorts2 = ffffff

|socks2 = 006600

| American = true

| prevseason = 1976

| nextseason = 1978

}}

The 1977 New York Cosmos season was the seventh season for the New York Cosmos in the now-defunct North American Soccer League. The Cosmos' seventh year of existence saw them drop "New York" from the club name (it would be restored in 1979), move into Giants Stadium (where they would play until their dissolution in 1985), and win their second NASL championship in Pelé's final year as a professional footballer. Pelé's last match was on October 1, 1977, in front of a capacity crowd at Giants Stadium: in an exhibition match between New York and his former club Santos, Pelé appeared for both sides, playing one half for each. The Cosmos won the game 2–1.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/espn/eticket/story?page=cosmos&redirected=true|title=ESPN.com - E-Ticket: When Soccer Ruled The USA|website=www.espn.com}} The Cosmos finished second in the 4-team Eastern Division and third out of 18 teams league-wide on their way to the 1977 championship.

{{TOC limit|4}}

Squad

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player | no=1 | nat=USA | pos=GK | name=Shep Messing}}

{{Fs player | no=2 | nat=CAN | pos=DF | name=Robert Iarusci}}

{{Fs player | no=2 | nat=CAN | pos=DF | name=Bruce Twamley}}

{{Fs player | no=3 | nat=YUG | pos=MF | name=Vito Dimitrijevic}}

{{Fs player | no=4 | nat=USA | pos=DF | name=Werner Roth}}

{{Fs player | no=5 | nat=ENG | pos=DF | name=Keith Eddy}}

{{Fs player | no=6 | nat=GER | pos=DF | name=Franz Beckenbauer}}

{{Fs player | no=7 | nat=ENG | pos=FW | name=Tony Field}}

{{Fs player | no=8 | nat=ENG | pos=MF | name=Terry Garbett}}

{{Fs player | no=9 | nat=ITA | pos=FW | name=Giorgio Chinaglia}}

{{Fs player | no=10 | nat=BRA | pos=FW | name=Pelé}}

{{Fs player | no=11 | nat=ENG | pos=FW | name=Steve Hunt}}

{{Fs player | no=12 | nat=USA | pos=DF | name=Bobby Smith}}

{{Fs player | no=14 | nat=BRA | pos=MF | name=Nelsi Morais}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player | no=15 | nat=PER | pos=MF | name=Ramon Mifflin}}

{{Fs player | no=16 | nat=USA | pos=FW | name=Tony Donlic}}

{{Fs player | no=17 | nat=SCO | pos=DF | name=Charlie Aitken}}

{{Fs player | no=18 | nat=YUG | pos=FW | name=Jadranko Topić}}

{{Fs player | no=19 | nat=TUR | pos=GK | name=Erol Yasin}}

{{Fs player | no=20 | nat=ENG | pos=DF | name=Mike Dillon}}

{{Fs player | no=21 | nat=USA | pos=FW | name=Gary Etherington}}

{{Fs player | no=22 | nat=RSA | pos=FW | name=Jomo Sono}}

{{Fs player | no=23 | nat=BRA | pos=DF | name=Rildo}}

{{Fs player | no=25 | nat=BRA | pos=DF | name=Carlos Alberto}}

{{Fs player | no=26 | nat=CAN | pos=DF | name=Paul Hunter}}

{{Fs player | no=28 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name=Tommy Lang}}

{{Fs player | no=33 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name=Chris Agoliati}}

{{Fs player | no=34 | nat=USA | pos=FW | name=Roberto de Oliveira}}

{{Fs end}}

Source:{{Cite web|url=http://nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Cosmos_Rosters.htm|title = NASL New York Cosmos Rosters}}

Results

Source:{{Cite web|url=http://soccerstats.us/teams/new-york-cosmos/1977/|title = All-time American soccer statistics | SoccerStats.us}}

= Preseason =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}March 11, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|BMU}} Bermuda U23

|A

|0–4

|626

|Chinaglia (4)

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}March 13, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|BMU}} Bermuda

|A

|0–1

|3,769

|Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}March 19, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|SUI}} Xamax

|A

|1–0

|3,000

|

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}March 20, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|SUI}} Zürich

|A

|3–1

|7,000

|Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}March 24, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|ITA}} Lazio

|A

|1–2

|20,000

|Chinaglia, N/A

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}April 2, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|HAI}} Victory

|H

|9–0

|7,212

|Chinaglia (5), Field, Garbett, Pelé (2)

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}April 3, 1977

|{{left}}{{fbaicon|USA}} Tampa Bay Rowdies

|H

|2–1

|11,098

|Chinaglia, Dimitrijevic

= Regular season =

Pld = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points

6 points for a win, 1 point for a shootout win, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each goal scored (up to three per game).

== Eastern Division Standings ==

class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; border-collapse: collapse; margin:0;"

!width=30| Pos

! Club

!width=30| Pld

!width=30| W

!width=30| L

!width=30| GF

!width=30| GA

!width=30| GD

!width=30| Pts

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|1

align=left |Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|26

1974929+20161
bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|2

align=left |Cosmos

|26

15116039+21140
bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|3

align=left |Tampa Bay Rowdies

|26

14125545+10131
4align=left |Washington Diplomats

|26

10163249-1792

== Overall League Placing ==

class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; border-collapse: collapse; margin:0;"

!width=30| Pos

! Club

!width=30| Pld

!width=30| W

!width=30| L

!width=30| GF

!width=30| GA

!width=30| GD

!width=30| Pts

bgcolor="gold"

|1

align=left |Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|26

1974929+20161
bgcolor="silver"

|2

align=left |Dallas Tornado

|26

1885637+19161
bgcolor="tan"

|3

align=left |Cosmos

|26

15116039+21140
4align=left |Minnesota Kicks

|26

16104436+8137
5align=left |Tampa Bay Rowdies

|26

14125545+10131

Source:{{Cite web |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1977.html |title=The Year in American Soccer - 1977 |access-date=2013-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713134953/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1977.html |archive-date=2013-07-13 |url-status=dead }}

== Matches ==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}April 9, 1977

|{{left}}Las Vegas Quicksilvers

|A

|1–0

|11,896

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}April 13, 1977

|{{left}}Team Hawaii

|A

|1–2

|12,877

|Topic, Hunt

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}April 17, 1977

|{{left}}Rochester Lancers

|H

|2–0

|26,752

|Chinaglia, Pelé

bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}April 24, 1977

|{{left}}Dallas Tornado

|H

|1–1 (SOL)

|13,527

|Smith

bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}May 1, 1977

|{{left}}St. Louis Stars

|H

|2–2 (SOL)

|20,112

|Dillon, Morais

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}May 8, 1977

|{{left}}Connecticut Bicentennials

|A

|2–3

|17,302

|Chinaglia, Eddy, Dimitrijevic

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}May 11, 1977

|{{left}}Chicago Sting

|A

|1–2

|21,108

|OG, Dimitrijevic

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}May 15, 1977

|{{left}}Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|H

|3–0

|21,782

|Pelé (3)

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}May 22, 1977

|{{left}}Chicago Sting

|H

|1–2

|20,407

|Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}May 29, 1977

|{{left}}Tampa Bay Rowdies

|A

|4–2

|45,288

|Beckenbauer, Field

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}June 5, 1977

|{{left}}Toronto Metros-Croatia

|H

|6–0

|31,208

|Sono, Chinaglia (2), Hunt (3)

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}June 8, 1977

|{{left}}Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|A

|0–3

|14,358

|Beckenbauer, Pelé, Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}June 12, 1977

|{{left}}Minnesota Kicks

|H

|1–1 (SOW)

|36,816

|Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}June 16, 1977

|{{left}}Toronto Metros-Croatia

|A

|1–2

|21,793

|Field, Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}June 19, 1977

|{{left}}Tampa Bay Rowdies

|H

|3–1

|62,394

|Pelé (3)

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}June 23, 1977

|{{left}}St. Louis Stars

|A

|2–0

|32,605

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}June 26, 1977

|{{left}}Los Angeles Aztecs

|H

|5–2

|57,191

|Pelé (3), Mifflin, Dimitrijevic

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}June 30, 1977

|{{left}}Vancouver Whitecaps

|A

|5–3

|30,277

|Roth, Chinaglia, Field

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}July 2, 1977

|{{left}}Los Angeles Aztecs

|A

|4–1

|32,165

|Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}July 6, 1977

|{{left}}San Jose Earthquakes

|H

|3–0

|31,875

|Hunt, Dimitrijevic, Field

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}July 10, 1977

|{{left}}Seattle Sounders

|H

|1–0

|41,270

|

bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}July 15, 1977

|{{left}}Rochester Lancers

|A

|0–0 (SOL)

|17,572

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}July 17, 1977

|{{left}}Portland Timbers

|H

|2–0

|41,205

|Hunt, Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}July 27, 1977

|{{left}}Washington Diplomats

|H

|8–2

|34,189

|Beckenbauer (2), Chinaglia (3),
Hunt (2), Field

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}July 31, 1977

|{{left}}Connecticut Bicentennials

|H

|3–1

|46,389

|Chinaglia, Pelé, Field

bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}August 6, 1977

|{{left}}Washington Diplomats

|A

|2–1

|31,283

|Pelé

=Postseason=

== First round ==

style="width: 75%; background: #eeeeee;" cellspacing="0"

|style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%|August 10

|width=24% align=right|San Jose Earthquakes

|align=center width=13%|1–2

|width=24%|Los Angeles Aztecs

|style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=top|Los Angeles, Memorial Coliseum

style=font-size:85%

|align=right valign=top|

|valign=top|

|align=left valign=top|

----

style="width: 75%; background: #eeeeee;" cellspacing="0"

|style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%|August 10

|width=24% align=right|Tampa Bay Rowdies

|align=center width=13%|0–3

|width=24%|Cosmos

|style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=top|New York City, Yankee Stadium

style=font-size:85%

|align=right valign=top|

|valign=top|

|align=left valign=top|

----

style="width: 75%; background: #eeeeee;" cellspacing="0"

|style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%|August 10

|width=24% align=right|Rochester Lancers

|align=center width=13%|1–0

|width=24%|St. Louis Stars

|style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=top|St. Louis, Busch Memorial

style=font-size:85%

|align=right valign=top|

|valign=top|

|align=left valign=top|

----

style="width: 75%; background: #eeeeee;" cellspacing="0"

|style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%|August 10

|width=24% align=right|Seattle Sounders

|align=center width=13%|2–0

|width=24%|Vancouver Whitecaps

|style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=top|Burnaby (BC), Swangard Stadium

style=font-size:85%

|align=right valign=top|

|valign=top|

|align=left valign=top|

== Conference semifinals ==

style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2
align=center bgcolor=#efefef

!width=180|

!width=5|

!width=180|

!width=80|Game 1

!width=80|Game 2

|width=120|

align=center bgcolor=fffafa

|align=right|Cosmos

–align=left|Ft. Lauderdale Strikers8–33–2August 14, 17
align=center bgcolor=fffafa

|align=right|Los Angeles Aztecs

–align=left|Dallas Tornado3–15–1August 14, 17 1977
align=center bgcolor=fffafa

|align=right|Minnesota Kicks

–align=left|Seattle Sounders1–20–1August 14, 17
align=center bgcolor=fffafa

|align=right|Rochester Lancers

–align=left|Toronto Metros-Croatia1–01–0August 14, 17

== Conference Championships ==

style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2
align=center bgcolor=#efefef

!width=180|

!width=5|

!width=180|

!width=80|Game 1

!width=80|Game 2

|width=120|

align=center bgcolor=fffafa

|align=right|Los Angeles Aztecs

—align=left|Seattle Sounders1—30—1August 21, 25
align=center bgcolor=fffafa

|align=right|Rochester Lancers

—align=left|Cosmos1—21—4August 21, 24

== Soccer Bowl '77 ==

style="width: 75%; background: #eeeeee;" cellspacing="0"

|style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%|August 28

|width=24% align=right|Cosmos

|align=center width=13%|2–1

|width=24%|Seattle Sounders

|style=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=top|Portland (OR), Civic Stadium

style=font-size:85%

|align=right valign=top|

|valign=top|

|align=left valign=top|

==Matches==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}August 10, 1977

|{{left}}Tampa Bay Rowdies

|H

|3–0

|57,828

|Pelé (2), Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}August 14, 1977

|{{left}}Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|H

|8–3

|77,691

|Chinaglia (3), Hunt (2), Etherington,
Beckenbauer, Field

bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}August 17, 1977

|{{left}}Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|A

|2–2 (SOW)

|14,152

|Pelé, Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}August 21, 1977

|{{left}}Rochester Lancers

|A

|1–2

|20,005

|Hunt, Chinaglia

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}August 24, 1977

|{{left}}Rochester Lancers

|H

|4–1

|73,669

|Chinaglia (2), Pelé, Dimitrijevic

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}August 28, 1977

|{{left}}Seattle Sounders

|N

|2–1

|35,548

|Hunt, Chinaglia

= Friendlies =

File:Pele cosmos vs santos.jpg

File:Pele farewell captains.jpg

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!! {{abbr|Att.|Attendance}} !!Scorers

bgcolor= #ddffdd

| {{left}} March 11

{{left}} {{flagicon|Bermuda}} Bermuda U23A4–0626{{small|Chiaglia (4)}}
bgcolor= #ddffdd

| {{left}} March 13

{{left}} {{fb|Bermuda}}A1–03,769{{small|Chiaglia}}
bgcolor= #ffdddd

| {{left}} March 19

{{left}} {{flagicon|SUI}} NeuchâtelA0–13,000{{small|–}}
bgcolor= #ffdddd

| {{left}} March 20

{{left}} {{flagicon|SUI}} FC ZürichA1–37,000{{small|Chinaglia}}
bgcolor= #ddffdd

| {{left}} March 24

{{left}} {{fbaicon|ITA}} LazioA2–115,000{{small|Chinaglia, Hunt}}
bgcolor= #ddffdd

| {{left}} April 2

{{left}} {{fbaicon|HAI}} VictoryA9–015,000{{small|Chinaglia (4), Pelé, Field, Garbett, Sono}}
bgcolor= #ddffdd

| {{left}} April 3

{{left}} {{fbaicon|USA}} Tampa Bay RowdiesA2–111,098{{small|Chinaglia, Dimitrijevic}}
bgcolor= #ddffdd

|{{left}} June 1

{{left}}{{fbaicon|ITA}} LazioH3–225,803{{small|Chinaglia, Rildo, Wilson}}
bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}September 1

|{{left}} {{fbaicon|Caribbean}} Caribbean All-Stars

A5–230,000{{small|Dimitrijevic, Chinaglia, Topic, Pelé}}
bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}September 4

{{left}}{{fbaicon|VEN}} PortuguesaA1–115,000{{small|Smith}}
bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}September 10

{{left}}{{fbaicon|JPN}} FurukawaA4–230,000{{small|Chinaglia, Field, Pelé}}
bgcolor= #ddffdd

|{{left}}September 14

{{left}} {{fb|JPN}}A3–165,000Topic, Morais, Chinaglia
bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}} September 17

{{left}}{{fb|CHN}}A1–180,000{{small|Field}}
bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}}September 20

{{left}} {{fb|CHN}}A1–250,000{{small|Pelé}}
bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}September 25

|{{left}} {{fbaicon|IND}} Mohun Bagan

A2–265,000{{small|Carlos Alberto, Chinaglia}}
bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|{{left}}October 1

|{{left}} {{fbaicon|BRA}} Santos {{refn|Pelé's farewell game. After his #10 was retired by the franchise at halftime, Pelé played the second half for Santos.{{cite web |url=http://www.nycosmos.com/heritage |title=Heritage |website=New York Cosmos}}|group=n|name=pelebye}}

H2–175,646{{small|Mifflin, Pelé}}
bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}}October 5

{{left}}{{fbaicon|BRA}} SantosN {{refn|Held in Detroit.|group=n|name= detr}}1–124,689{{small|Chinaglia}}
bgcolor="#ffffdd"

|{{left}} October 8

{{left}} {{fb|CHN}}H1–133,712{{small|Chinaglia}}
bgcolor="#ffdddd"

|{{left}} October 14

{{left}}{{fbaicon|BRA}} FlamengoA1–414,000{{small|Field}}

;Notes

{{reflist|group= n}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{New York Cosmos}}

{{1977 in American soccer}}

Cosmos

Category:New York Cosmos seasons

New York Cosmos

Cosmos

Category:Soccer Bowl champion seasons